Fresh from victory at the opening round of the 2026 South African Rally-Raid Championship (SARRC), TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa (TGRSA) heads to Stella in the North West Province this weekend for the GR Stella 1000 Marathon, the toughest and longest event on the national rally-raid calendar.
The only three-day event of the season, the GR Stella 1000 Marathon presents an entirely different challenge to the sprint-style races that make up the remainder of the championship. Covering almost 1,000 kilometres through the cattle farming region surrounding Stella, the event rewards consistency, meticulous preparation and mechanical reliability every bit as much as outright speed, making it South Africa’s closest equivalent to the marathon format synonymous with the Dakar Rally and FIA World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC).
For TGRSA, it is also the team’s home event, carrying the GR name and reflecting Toyota’s longstanding commitment to the principles of Quality, Durability and Reliability (QDR). The marathon format provides the ideal proving ground for the GR Hilux IMT EVO, allowing the team to demonstrate the strength and dependability that underpin Toyota’s global rally-raid programme.
With the demands of the marathon event firmly in mind, TGRSA has meticulously prepared all three of its GR Hilux IMT EVO race cars for the challenge that lies ahead. Leading the team’s charge will be defending South African Rally-Raid Champion Saood Variawa, who arrives in Stella as the championship leader after opening the season with victory at the INGCO Parys 400. He will once again be partnered by Charan Moore, whose debut alongside the young champion resulted in an immediate victory and maximum championship points.
The second TGRSA entry will see Sa’aad Variawa continue his partnership with Wade Harris. The pair showed encouraging pace during the opening round before a series of setbacks compromised their final result, and they will be eager to convert that speed into a strong finish over the marathon distance.
Completing the line-up is experienced campaigner Guy Botterill, who will be joined by accomplished navigator Henry Köhne for the GR Stella 1000 Marathon. Botterill narrowly missed the podium at the opening round after running among the leading crews throughout the event, and his experience in endurance rally-raid competition will be invaluable over the demanding three-day format.
“The GR Stella 1000 Marathon is one of the races every rally-raid competitor wants to win,” said TGRSA Team Principal Shameer Variawa. “It is the ultimate test of our crews, our cars and our entire team. Over three days you cannot rely on speed alone. Every aspect of the operation has to perform flawlessly, from preparation and strategy to reliability and teamwork. We’ve worked extremely hard to prepare for this event, and we’re confident our GR Hilux IMT EVOs are ready for the challenge.”
The Stella area earned international recognition during the inaugural South African Safari Rally in 2025, an event that was also supported by TOYOTA GAZOO Racing South Africa. The town hosted the overnight bivouac for the FIA World Rally-Raid Championship’s marathon stage, giving many of the SARRC competitors their first experience of the area’s demanding terrain ahead of this year’s national marathon event.
The GR Stella 1000 Marathon gets under way on Friday, 24 July, with a Qualifying Race followed by two short competitive stages. Saturday features Stages 3 and 4, before the event concludes with the final two stages on Sunday, 26 July. Covering almost 1,000 kilometres over three days, the marathon event promises to be a true test of endurance, reliability and consistency, with TGRSA aiming to build on its winning start to the 2026 SARRC season.
Published by: Karabo Sethusha
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